| Jazz |
Jed Levy: A Saxophonist’s Journey Through Four Decades of Jazz Innovation.
Forty years on stage—and not a note lost. Saxophonist and composer Jed Levy distills here the full breadth of his artistry. A cornerstone of the New York jazz scene for more than four decades, Levy has carved a singular path, as much through his work as a bandleader as through long-standing collaborations with jazz luminaries. Among them: his mentor Jaki Byard (three albums and countless concerts), organists Don Patterson and Jack McDuff (whose tours shaped Levy’s early voice), bassist Ron McClure (two recordings and ongoing performances), and Headhunters drummer Mike Clark, with whom he continues to craft new sonic explorations.
This latest project demands attentive listening: here, composition and improvisation are tightly interwoven. On intricate architectures, Levy threads melodic lines and cunning arrangements that transcend rhythmic conventions, sketching out a musical language that is utterly personal; and it works. Along his journey, Levy has shared the stage or studio with the likes of Junior Mance, Eddie Henderson, Jack Walrath, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Shirley Scott, Kevin Mahogany, Gene Bertoncini, Don Friedman, Cedar Walton, Curtis Fuller, Chico O’Farrill, Attila Zoller, Groove Holmes, and Tom Harrell, to name just a few.
Although the acoustic quartet format might suggest a more traditional jazz aesthetic, Levy leans the other way; toward innovation, toward the pulse of the modern city. And anchoring it all is drummer Alvester Garnett, an absolute revelation. I had long heard of him, but hearing him here is one of the most delightful surprises I’ve encountered in recent years. Garnett plays like a percussionist in the truest sense; never confined to rhythm alone, he colors and elevates the entire project with a remarkable sense of sonic imagination.
What sets Jed Levy apart is, in part, his range. His New York schedule alone tells the story: in the span of a single week, he might jump from a concert with the Cab Calloway Orchestra to a gritty set with Mike Clark and Charlie Hunter at the Knitting Factory, then grace the Apollo Theater stage with The Temptations and The Four Tops, before circling back to Birdland with Chico O’Farrill’s Afro-Cuban Orchestra. Such versatility doesn’t come without a deep openness; to other cultures, other sounds. It’s this very openness that feeds the richness of Levy’s music.
I first saw Jed Levy perform in Europe many years ago, and rediscovering him now; seasoned by experience but still pushing forward; feels like reconnecting with an old friend who has only grown more compelling. Few musicians manage to elevate their artistic vision to this level. Here, Levy offers twelve brand-new compositions, each delivered with a poetic sensitivity by a golden quartet. It’s a cerebral kind of jazz, yes; but never aloof. It remains deeply accessible, deeply human.
And then there’s that unmistakable tone—Levy’s signature sound. Like Dexter Gordon before him, Levy draws a distinctive voice from his horn, one that feels both grounded and uplifting. From the album’s first notes, you’re ushered into a familiar, welcoming world. At moments, it even recalls the energy of the Yellowjackets, not in style, but in spirit—that upward drive, those rhythmically charged flights. This is an album to put in the hands of anyone curious about jazz. It’s a bridge between classic and contemporary, between intellectual pursuit and emotional immediacy. It won’t alienate; it will invite.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor for All About Jazz
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, April 14th 2025
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Musicians: Jed Levy, Luis Perdomo, Peter Slavov, Alvester Garnett
Titles: Email, Danza de Berrios, Calcate, Twiddle Twaddle, Coming to Terms, St. Simon, Personnable, Teneriffe, Leading Tone, Haiku, Partido Tenor, Postcript